Plastic traveler with dual wear insert members



| H. MORIN 2,961,826

PLASTIC TRAVELER WITH DUAL WEAR INSERT MEMBERS Nov. 29, 1960 Filed May 23, 1958 FIG. 2

-96 M v W /E M FIG. 3

INVENTOR Lou/5 H More/N ATTORNEY United States Patent PLASTIC TRAVELER WITH DUAL WEAR INSERT MEMBERS Louis H. Morin, Bronx, N.Y., assignor to Coats & Clark Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 23, 1958, Ser. No. 737,256

8 Claims. (Cl. 57-125) This invention relates to travelers formed of suitable plastic material, wherein a pair of wear insert members are integrally molded in the hook end portion of a traveler for exposure at corner portions of the base of the hook to engage the thread or strand to directly take up the wear in the use of the traveler.

More particularly, the invention deals with a traveler structure of the character described, wherein the insert members have, centrally thereof, reduced rounded neck portions forming, of the members, what I term hourglass-shaped inserts.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a structure of the character described, wherein the inserts have apertured ends for positioning the inserts in a mold cavity in the operation of molding the plastic traveler around the inserts.

The novel features of the invention will be best under stood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged view of one hook end portion of a traveler made according to my invention, with part of the construction broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1, with parts of the construction shown in section and diagrammatically illustrating one of the positioning tools for support of the insert members in the molding operation.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale, with part of the construction broken away.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a traveler, generally similar to that shown in Fig. 1, showing a modified form of insert member; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 01 Fig. 4.

In travelers of the type and kind under consideration, the traveler body usually employs hook end portions at both ends thereof, but, as the present invention deals with the structure of only one, namely the large hook end portion of the traveler, the remainder of the traveler structure is omitted.

In Fig. 1, represents the large hook end portion, from which depends the shank, shown, in part, at 11. At 12 is indicated the base of the aperture formed in the hook, to which the thread or strand is usually exposed in the use of the traveler. At 13 is shown the inwardly extended end of the hook, which restricts the opening of the hook to some extent.

It will appear, from a consideration of Fig. 3 of the drawing, that the side walls, as at 14 of the hook it are tapered inwardly or, in other words, contracted in meeting with the rounded portion 12. The surface of the rounded portion 12 bridging the contracted walls 14 is clearly seen at 15 in Fig. 3 of the drawing and at the intersecting corner portions are positioned two similar wear insert members 16, which are generally hourglassshape in form. In other words, the members have re- Patented Nov. 29, 1960 duced rounded necks 17 centrally thereof, which conform to the cont-our of the rounded portion 12 of the hook, as clearly noted in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

It will also appear, from a consideration of Fig. 3 of the drawing, that the neck portions 17 are exposed a major degree beyond surfaces of the contracted walls 14, so as to provide clear passage of threads or strands through the hook end portions 10 of the travelers in the usethereof. It will also appear, from a consideration of Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, that the portion 15 extends slightly onto the neoks 17, as at 15', in order to reinforce the mounting of the members 16 in the traveler while, at the same time, leaving a full exposure of the members at the corner portions, as will clearly appear from a considerationof Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The ends of the members 16 have apertures or sockets 18 for reception of pin ends 19 of core members, one

of which is indicated at 20 in Fig. 2 of the drawing to illustrate how the members 16 are supported in a pair of dies employed'for molding the traveler, a core being arranged in both end portions of the members 16, as will be apparent. The cores form, beyond the ends of the members 16, elliptical openings 21 in the hook end 10 which are exposed through outer surfaces of the hook, as will appear from a consideration of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing, I have shown a modification, in which 10' represents a hook end, generally similar to the hook end 10 of Fig. 1, the shank being indicated, in part, at 11', the curved base of the hook at 12 and at 14' are shown the contracted Walls extending to the bridging portion 15". Substituted for the member 16, tubular members 22 are employed which are generally of hourglass contour, in other words, include a central restricted curved neck 23, similar to the neck 17. The members 22 are located in the same general position as the members 16 and, thus, will require no further description in this regard.

The rounded ends of the members 22 have apertures 24 to receive supporting pins for positioning the members between adjacent surfaces of the dies, after which, the dies are partially closed to engage the enlarged ends of the members; whereupon, the supporting pins are withdrawn and the dies are then fully closed. It will, thus, appear that, in the operation of molding the traveler 16', the plastic material employed will extend into the tubular members 22 to fill these members, as is clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. By reason of this construction, the wall thicknesses of the members 22 can be relatively thin, as the plastic body molded therein will form a positive support and backing for the walls, particularly where exposed at the neck portions.

With both forms of construction shown, the insert members, in addition to providing the wear surfaces, where required, also operate to reinforce the hook ends 10, It) and these members can be formed of any suitable materials, such as metals, ceramics, synthetic sapphire or the like.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a molded plastic traveller a wear resistant insert, said insert comprising a tubular body of wear resistant material having an inner surface defining a central bore extending longitudinally of the insert from end to end and a plastic portion filling the central bore of the insert and integral with the remaining plastic of the traveller, said insert being non-rotatably gripped by the plastic of the traveller.

2. A traveler comprising a molded plastic body having a hook end portion, the inner surface of the hook end portion having a curved base, a pair of inserts of Wear resistant material disposed at sides of said curved base,

said inserts being generally of hourglass contour with reduced neck portions exposed at the sides of said curved base and having ends terminating Within the body portion of the hook end of the traveler.

3. A traveler as defined in claim 2, wherein end portions of the inserts include apertures.

4. A traveler as defined in claim 3, wherein said apertures are exposed outwardly through the hook end of the traveler.

5. A traveler as defined in claim 3, wherein the inserts are of hollow construction, and the plastic material of the traveler is disposed within the hollow inserts.

6. A traveler comprising a molded plastic body, having a hook end for engagement with a strand in the use of the traveler, the hook end including a base portion engaged by the strand, a plurality of inserts of wear resistant material, the central portion of each insert being exposed at the base of the hook end, the central portions of the insert providing the sole means of engagement with a strand, end portions of the inserts being embedded in said hook end, said end portions having apertures opening outwardly through the ends of the inserts, and the hook end including apertures registering with the 4 apertured ends of the inserts and opening outwardly through said hook ends.

7. A traveler comprising a molded plastic body having a hook end portion, the inner surface of the hook end portion having a curved base, a pair of inserts of wear resistant material disposed at sides of said base, said inserts having reduced neck portions exposed at the sides of said curved base, and the space between the inserts being filled by a stiffening web of plastic material.

8. A molded plastic traveler comprising a wear resistant insert, said insert having a tubular body of wear resistant material and an inner surface defining a central bore extending longitudinally of the insert from end to end thereof, and said insert being non-rotatably gripped by the plastic of the traveler.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,572,140 Haley Oct. 23, 1951 2,683,346 Pieper July 13, 1954 2,749,698 Stahli June 12, 1956 2,756,558 Camp et al July 31, 1956 

